1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an interface device, especially to an interface device used for expanding the connection capability of an I/O device of a data process device.
2. Description of Related Art
In a conventional data process device having a USB port, expanding I/O device through the USB port requires a corresponding driver program during the installation. For increasing the system safety and lowering the operation difficulty, many closed-type data process devices, such as a tablet computer, smart phone, smart TV and set top box are provided with a closed-type driver program installation policy, so a user is not allowed to install a driver program by himself by using the I/O device, only preset driver programs are allowed thereby small amount of I/O devices being supported. As such, the preset expansion terminals can also be used for supporting a general I/O device such as a conventional keyboard, mouse or joystick.
When a new I/O device is desired to be supported by the closed-type data process device, a corresponding driver program is required to be added by the original developer in the updated software, then the closed-type data process device is called back by the developer for updating the software. Because the cost for updating and maintaining software is enormous, the software update of many closed-type data process devices would be terminated and only very small amounts of I/O devices are supported. As such, many closed-type data process devices are formed with one or more USB ports, but an objective of freely expanding I/O device is hard to be achieved.
In a conventional opened-type data process device formed with USB expanding terminals and provided with an opened-type driver program installation policy, such as a personal computer and notebook computer, when a plurality of I/O devices are desired to be used, the quantity of USB ports are often not enough. A conventional USB hub is able to support a plurality of I/O devices, but a driver program corresponding to each I/O device has to be firstly installed. If ten different I/O devices are desired to be used, ten driver programs have to be installed thereby causing inconvenience.
For solving the above-mentioned problems, providing an interface device allowing an I/O device which is not supported to still be capable of being operated in the operation system without requiring a new driver program being updated in the data process device shall be seriously concerned.